365 Ways To Scare The Marauders
by mariaclair
Summary: The Marauders: four guys, the most popular prankers in Hogwarts. They're strong and smart, three of them standing over six feet tall. Nobody dared to mess with them - not until she came along. Brielle Delacour was determined to put The Marauders back into their places. And so in 365 ways, she taught everyone in Hogwarts how to scare the Marauders. [eventual James Potter rom/com]
1. Introduction

_**Introduction; The Marauders**_

"The Marauders? You want me to sit in their compartment for a joke?"

"Yeah, it'll be funny."

"Funny? They'll kill me! It's only funny if you want me dead!"

Eleven year old Brielle Delacour's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she walked past a few people who looked to be several years older than her as she made her way down the Hogwarts Express for the first time. She was rather confused on who these 'Marauders' were, and she wanted to find out. However, deciding that now wasn't the time, she continued to make her way down the train.

Her letter for Hogwarts had come in the summer. It was expected, of course - her mother was a veela and her father a pure-blooded wizard. She was fairly thankful that she'd received her father's traits rather than her mother's - looking like a barbie was only desirable for some, especially when that mother was all but a demon. Her sister would have said that their mother's looks being undesirable was highly debatable, but Brielle didn't really care about that.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Brielle continued to look in compartments, seeing people filling up several already. She eventually came to a free one in what felt like the middle of the train and began to slide open the compartment door.

"Wait!" called someone behind her.

Brielle turned around to see a girl who appeared to be a little older than herself with bright red hair and shocking green eyes. She was particularly pretty, and several inches taller than her.

"Can I help you?" asked Brielle, her voice surprisingly strong.

"I just thought that I ought to warn you about whose compartment that is. You're a first year, right?" asked the girl; Brielle nodded. "Well I'm Lily Evans, a second year."

"Brielle Delacour, nice to meet you." smiled Brielle simply.

"That compartment was claimed by The Marauders last Christmas. You may not want to sit in it." stated Lily.

"What's a Marauder?" asked Brielle, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she heard that name for the second time, still clueless as to what it meant.

"There are four boys in my year: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. They're the four Marauders. They were given that nickname by the Transfigurations teacher last year because they're the biggest bunch of troublemakers Hogwarts has ever seen. They prank everyone, they bully people they don't like and they're just awful. Lupin doesn't join in with the bullying much and Pettigrew seems to be more of a supporter when they're bullying someone, but they'll all join in when it comes to pranks." Lily told Brielle.

"Okay, but that doesn't explain why you're trying to stop me from sitting in this compartment." stated Brielle, clearly expecting a good reason.

"On the way home last year, someone tried to sit in this compartment and the leaders Potter and Black both hexed him. You're a first year and they won't be afraid to hex you - Merlin, they wouldn't be afraid to hex a seventh year. I just don't want to see you hurt by them already." said Lily, and her tone was light and reassuring. "You can sit with me and my friends instead if you want."

Brielle pondered the thought. These Marauders - whoever they may be - sounded like they thought that they could get away with anything. Bullies and prankers - what idiots. And even though Lily seemed like a nice person, Brielle found herself shaking her head at her offer.

"No thanks, Lily, I think I'd like to meet these Marauders." replied Brielle, a light smile on her face.

"Please don't tell me that you're another pranker like them." Lily pleaded, her face falling slightly.

"I could be considered one, but I'd never team up with someone like them. No, I'm going to give them a taste of their own medicine." stated Brielle, a confident smile on her face.

Lily appeared uncertain, worry in her green eyes. She asked, "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." nodded Brielle.

"If they do anything to hurt you, come and find me. Good luck with teaching them a lesson." smiled Lily.

"Thank you." nodded Brielle, flashing Lily a small grin as she walked into the compartment and sat down.

Lily seemed nice, nice to the point where Brielle thought that she'd help anyone and everyone. She may have been wrong about that for she didn't know Lily well enough to judge her yet, but it seemed like if someone like her had something bad to say about The Marauders, they really were bad people. And little Brielle intended on finding out just what was so bad about The Marauders, and even if it took the rest of her life, she was determined to put them back into their place.

**[i know that it's assumed they didn't become 'The Marauders' until they were all animagi, but I feel like they would have had a group name before then c: ]**


	2. Way One

_**Way One; Make a First Impression They'll Never Forget**_

"You're a dickhead." said Remus Lupin, smacking James Potter around the back of the head with his book.

"What was that for?!" demanded James, running his hand through his messy hair.

"For almost making us miss the train!" replied Remus, shaking his head as he and his fellow Marauders strode up the Hogwarts Express.

"It wasn't my fault, Sirius was the one who hid my broom!" replied James heatedly, glancing at the smirking Sirius Black. "Yeah, who's the dickhead now?!"

"Still you for throwing your trunk down the stairs." commented Peter Pettigrew, rolling his eyes at James. "Nearly killed me."

"Stop trying to kill poor Pete, you dickhead." scolded Sirius lightly, narrowing his eyes mockingly at James.

"Hey, you're the dickhead!" replied James, whacking Sirius' arm as they finally reached the section of the train where their compartment was situated, having had to jump in through the very last doors due to being rather late to get on the train.

"Oh, shut up." said Remus, rolling his eyes.

"I don't know why you're telling us to shut up, you're the one who started it!" exclaimed Sirius. "Looks like you're the dickhead now."

"Oi, Potter!" called a seventh year from up the train.

Even as second years, The Marauders were well known throughout the school. That much was clear. And with being well known came having valuable friends in different years, and the seventh years were definitely important friends to The Marauders. They knew everything and everyone, and right now it looked like this one knew something they didn't.

"What's happening?" asked James, cocking an eyebrow.

"There's a girl in your compartment." said the seventh year, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"What?!" demanded Sirius, eyes wide. "We made it pretty clear that-"

"First year." said the seventh year. "Apparently Evans warned her about you and she sat there anyway."

"Oh, this is going to be fun." mused Sirius, his eyes twinkling.

"Thanks for the warning, mate." nodded James; the seventh year smirked and walked back into his compartment.

The Marauders reached their normal compartment and saw, as expected, a tiny girl sitting in a seat, a book held in her small hands. Her hair was dark and flowed from her hair like silk, her young skin flawless and pale and her movements were light and delicate. She wouldn't have looked out of place in a room full of life-size dolls; there was something exceptionally cute about her in a rather pretty way.

However, that appearance disappeared when her neck snapped up at the sound of the compartment door sliding open, James asking immediately, "Who are you and what are you doing in our compartment?"

"I'm Brielle Delacour." answered Brielle simply, her eyes focused in an almost challenging way upon the four Marauders.

"All right, Delacour, now what are you doing in our compartment?" asked James, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"Your compartment?" repeated Brielle, her eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, this compartment's been ours the last three times we've been on the train." nodded Remus.

"Ow, you claimed your own compartment?" Brielle asked as though she were speaking to a bunch of four year olds. "How adorable."

"And we're claiming it back from you now." stated Sirius, his arms folded over his chest. "We know that you were told not to come in here."

"Well then by now you must have also realised that I don't care." answered Brielle sharply, the mocking smile falling from her face. "I've heard about you four already and you seem like utter idiots. I hope you know that you don't rule the school just because you pull a few pranks."

"Don't we?" challenged James, cocking an eyebrow, clear amusement on his face.

"No." stated Brielle. "And I plan on proving it."

"You plan on proving it?" repeated Peter, a laugh escaping his lips. "How exactly are you planning to do that?"

Brielle stood up from her seat, slamming her book shut. She walked forwards to face The Marauders where they stood just outside of the door, and she had to look up at all of them. She was small, standing at barely four feet seven, and The Marauders were all at least five feet three, Remus possibly five feet six.

And yet there was something in her hard stare which was intimidating, even though they had to very literally look down half a foot at her. Her eyes were hardened over with a serious look, and her mouth was set into a thin line, very much like the look their Transfigurations look gave them when she was angry.

"I'm going to show you in as many different ways as it takes that you're not the ones who control this school. You can step down, princesses, because the queen has arrived, and she's not going to share the throne with anyone." stated Brielle coolly, her eyes narrowed very slightly.

The Marauders wouldn't admit that they were a tiny bit afraid of the little eleven year old in front of them. And it was a ridiculous thought, given how she was so tiny that James didn't doubt he'd be able to lift her above his head with ease, but it was true. She was certainly different.

And then she smiled widely, her eyes lighting up as she chimed, "See you later, losers!"

She pushed her way through them with ease, smiling to herself as she noted the first way to scare The Marauders: make a first introduction they'll never forget for as long as they may live.


	3. Way Two

_**Way Two: Get Sorted Into the Same House As Them**_

"She's that girl who threatened The Marauders!"

"She threatened The Marauders? No way!"

"Look at her! She would never dare to do anything like that, she's too small!"

"There she is: the she-demon herself."

News spread fast in Hogwarts, especially when it regarded The Marauders. Therefore it was no surprise that the rumour of The Marauders being threatened by a tiny little first year had spread so quickly - it was simply unheard of, and nobody could believe it. Everyone also seemed to know exactly who it was that threatened The Marauders, and that was why more eyes were focused on Brielle than any other first year as they were led into the Great Hall by Professor McGonagall.

Brielle smiled proudly to herself as she entered the Great Hall among her fellow first years; it was simply gorgeous. The enchanted ceiling was like something out of her dreams, her fellow first years all seemed to be nice people and she was excited for lessons to start; most of all, she was glad that her name had spread around the castle already. It appeared that making a strong impression on The Marauders had indeed worked.

"Hey!" hissed a sixth year Hufflepuff as Brielle passed him. "Is it true that you threatened The Marauders?"

Brielle didn't reply, she only glanced over at him with a light smirk on her lips. Her eyes skimmed over him and looked over his head to where The Marauders were seated at the Gryffindor Table, each one of them glaring at her in turn. She allowed a wider smile to slip onto her face at this, and it was only because the group of first years reached the front of the hall that she didn't wave at them.

They came to stand below the slightly raised stage with a three-legged stool on it and what looked to be a somewhat manky, old sitting on top of it. Brielle almost asked a girl near her what it was for - and then it began to sing, and she was immediately mesmerised by just what magic could do.

Brielle clapped as the Sorting Hat finished its song, a smile on her face. She watched as McGonagall stood up next to the stool with a scroll of parchment in her hands, looking down at the first years.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." she spoke; it seemed simple enough to Brielle. She watched as the first person to be sorted ('Anton, Harley') became a Ravenclaw, and clapped her hands together politely.

Before long, her name was called, and she could hear a few people whispering about her as she walked onto the small stage. She took her seat on the stool with a confident look on her face, a slight smile playing on her lips as the Sorting Hat was placed on top of her head, its voice ringing out in her mind immediately.

"Ah, interesting." it hummed, causing Brielle's eyebrows to furrow together in the slightest. "No lack of confidence I see, and not a bad mind either. Sneaky and smart, Slytherin could do you well. But oh, of course, your bravery! Yes, I suppose it better be- GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor Table cheered for Brielle as she stood up, placing the hat back onto the stool, a grin on her face. She stepped down from the stage and made her way over to the Gryffindor Table, where she noticed several familiar faces who'd just been sorted and several people she'd met on the train moving to create a space for her.

"Congratulations on getting into Gryffindor, Brielle." smiled Alice Fortescue as Brielle took the seat next to her, the next first year walking up to the stage to be sorted.

"We'll make sure that you're comfortable in our house. We have all of the best people, trust me."

"Notably us." smiled a pair of red-headed twins; they appeared to be several years older than Brielle.

"I'm Fabian." said the first.

"And I'm Gideon." nodded the second, smiling to Brielle. "We're the Prewett Twins. Trouble makers - the best in the school until The Marauders came along."

"But we've heard that you're out to get them, and if you ever need any help, feel free to come to us." grinned Fabian, his eyes twinkling with joy.

Alice was right: it looked like, despite being home to The Marauders, Gryffindor did have some of the best people Brielle was sure she'd meet throughout her years at Hogwarts.

"She's a nightmare!" complained James as The Marauders flopped onto the sofas closest to the fire. "Of all the houses, why did she have to be in ours?"

"She should be a Slytherin!" agreed Sirius, his eyes narrowed at the portrait hole, waiting for the first years being shown around to enter. "Evil little demon."

"She does seem pretty brave, though, threatening us." remarked Remus. "Maybe she is a Gryffindor. Still, I'd rather not have someone determined to 'put us in our places' in our house."

"Oh Merlin." muttered James in horror, his eyes a little wide. "She's going to be in this Common Room with us every night."

"Eating at the same house table as us every day." continued Peter, appearing to be rather afraid.

"She's pretty much going to be within arm's reach all the time." said Sirius, and he followed his statement with a groan as he turned back to the fire. "Seriously, this is some sort of sick joke."

"And here's the bad punchline." remarked Remus as the portrait hole opened and the first years walked in; tiny Brielle was clearly visible, and she appeared to be looking around the Common Room, searching for someone. Just as they'd feared, The Marauders saw Brielle's eyes light up when they landed on them in the middle of the room.

"Hello, Marauders." said Brielle, walking over to them with a smile on her face. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Yeah, fancy that." agreed James sarcastically.

"No need to sarcastic, Potter, is it? I've been told about you all separately, and I think that we're all going to become great friends. I'll see you tomorrow, Marauders." smiled Brielle, waggling her fingers at the four Marauders in a mocking wave as she walked away in the direction of the dorms, mentally noting down the second way to scare The Marauders: get sorted into the same house as them and make sure that they know the next six years are going to be hell for them.


	4. Ways Three & Four

_**Way Three; Show Them How Much You Love Mornings  
&amp; Way Four; Show Them Who's Boss**_

The Marauders decided that they didn't like the fact that everyone in the school knew they had been threatened by a first year already. It wasn't hard to tell that she was playing a game with their minds - she was annoying them, trying to scare they decided that they needed to turn the tables back on her as soon as possible - exactly the reason why they were content with walking into the Great Hall and sitting with her at breakfast the next day, wide smiles on their faces.

"Good morning, sun shine!" announced Sirius, wrapping his arm around Brielle's shoulders the next morning. "Aren't you looking happy this morning, Delacour?"

"Remove your arm from my shoulders now before I cut it off." replied Brielle coldly, her eyes narrowing at Sirius.

"That wasn't very nice, was it now?" mused James, sending Brielle a mocking smile from across the table. "I thought you be great friends with us."

"And you did say last night that you'd see us tomorrow, which is today. So hello, Brielle." smiled Remus, pouring himself a glass of pumpkin juice.

"If you want to deal with my wrath first thing in the morning, fine, try me." said Brielle simply, buttering a slice of toast on the plate in front of her. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

"Warn us about a few yawns and a threat or two?" asked James mockingly, placing his hand on his chest as he looked over at Brielle. "You're not all that scary, really."

"You're like a little kitten." said Sirius, grinning as he squeezed Brielle closer to his side. "Maybe Minnie can adopt you."

"Black, you have a detention tonight for calling me by an inappropriate name." said Professor McGonagall as she stopped in front of The Marauders and Brielle. "And stop harassing a first year."

"Harassing her?" repeated James, his eyes wide in disbelief. "Did you not hear the rumours about what she said to us?"

"So you're Miss Delacour." stated McGonagall, her eyes falling on Brielle properly.

"That's me." confirmed Brielle, nodding her head lightly.

"I've heard that you made quite the first impression on The Marauders." said McGonagall, glancing around at the four boys. "It's nice to see someone put them back into their place."

"She hasn't put us back anywhere." said Remus, shaking his head.

"I'll be putting you back in hell in a minute." muttered Brielle in annoyance, sipping at her glass of water as McGonagall cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Possibly put them back into their place more lightly, Delacour, or I'll be forced to give you a detention." said McGonagall, passing Brielle her timetable.

"I'll make sure you don't hear me say anything more of the sorts." said Brielle, taking the timetable with a small nod.

"Another troublemaker." mused McGonagall as she walked away, shaking her head.

"Looks like you'll get into trouble with Minnie if you insult us in front of her again." mused James, sending Brielle a mocking smile. "Maybe you'll just have to be nice to us."

"Or maybe I'll just have to make sure she doesn't hear me state how I'd love to learn as many hexes as I can today and test them all out on you like you're my personal lab rats." hissed Brielle, her eyes narrowed as she stood up from her seat, The Marauders watching her with somewhat worried looks on their faces. "I can't stand idiots in the mornings which is why I'm walking away from you now, lest I want to be expelled before I even get to my first lesson for murdering the lot of you. For your sake, I'd avoid me in the mornings. The only two things I've inherited from my mother are her anger and her hatred for mornings, and trust me when I say that you don't want to mix the two together."

Brielle swung her bag over her shoulder and walked away from The Marauders, who appeared to be slightly pale in the face by now. At least now she knew that if The Marauders ever annoyed her in the mornings again, a small threat or two in their direction would be enough to make them run back to their mothers for sure.

* * *

Following their run-in at breakfast, Brielle had seen The Marauders seven times throughout the day, and each time they'd looked cautious of her. They hadn't dared to go anywhere near her, and that was something she was very proud of. However, by the end of the day, she'd decided that it was time to go and speak to them again, and that was how she found herself sitting with them in the Common Room later that night.

"Come to threaten us again, Delacour?" asked Sirius, cocking an eyebrow as Brielle flopped into the armchair opposite him.

"I just thought I'd ask how your first day back was." stated Brielle, a small smile quirking on her lips.

"It was fine until you came along - again, that is." answered James, his eyes narrowed. "Do you know how many people have asked us today if we're being controlled by you?"

"Not enough if nobody's asked me the same thing from my side of it yet." shrugged Brielle.

"That's because you're considered to be the she-demon. Everyone's afraid of you." stated Remus, shrugging his shoulders simply.

"Everyone. That includes you all. You're scared of me?" mused Brielle, raising her eyebrows.

"We're not scared of you." denied James, shaking his head.

"That's not what I've heard." stated Brielle. "You're scared of a four foot seven first year? Seriously?"

"Not many first years are brave enough to threaten us of all people." stated Peter.

"Multiple times in twenty four hours." added Sirius.

"So you think that everyone's afraid of you, and if you're afraid of me, that puts me at the top of the chain?" Brielle questioned, raising her eyebrows further.

"No." said James simply, narrowing his eyes slightly at Brielle. "You're just a first year and we're not afraid of you."

"Of course you aren't." agreed Brielle, placing her hand over her heart mockingly as she stood up. "You're just trying to make me feel good about myself by pretending that I'm above you on my first day."

"That's exactly what we're doing." agreed Remus simply. "And now you've got that reputation, make the most of it while it lasts. We won't be pretending to be afraid of you anymore."

"Ah, but the thing is I don't think you're pretending. And I'm rarely wrong when it comes to things like these, so we'll see just who's quaking in their boots by the end of the week." spoke Brielle, flashing a smile around at The Marauders. "Even if you are pretending, you should know that I don't claim false titles. And yesterday when I said I was the queen to your princess, I meant it. I'm going to be changing a few things around here with you four, and you're going to deal with it."

"How do you reckon she's going to make her changes?" asked Peter, his eyes slightly wide as Brielle left.

"I don't know." said James, shaking his head. "But I don't really want to find out."

It appeared that showing The Marauders that there's someone above - or who will be above them - really did help to scare them after all.

**thank you so much for the follows &amp; faves &amp; reviews already, i still have no clue how to work this website but i'm slowly getting there. i hope you continue to enjoy this story &amp; thanks so much for reading, it means a lot c:**


	5. Ways Five & Six

_**Way Five; Get Them Their First Detention of the Year  
&amp; Way Six; Make Their First Week Back Hell**_

"You're so adorable." cooed Alice Fortescue, brushing her fingers through Brielle's thick hair.

"Unfairly so." agreed Marlene McKinnon, smiling light at Brielle. "It's almost like you're too flawless."

"When I have a daughter, I want her to look like you." Lily Evans said, her vivid eyes twinkling.

"I feel like a little Barbie doll." stated Brielle, shaking her head very slightly as she looked around at the four girls sitting by her in the Great Hall during the years one and two study hour that afternoon.

"Are you muggle-born?" asked Dorcas Meadowes, tucking a strand of dark hair beneath her ear. "You know, because you know what a Barbie is."

"Half-blood." answered Brielle, her eyebrows furrowing a little. "Or half-breed, really, my mother's a veela."

"That explains so much!" exclaimed Alice lightly, finishing playing with Brielle's hair as she turned back to the Charms book in front of her. "Half-veelas always are so pretty."

"I've never seen a veela with brown hair before, though." commented Lily, her eyes studying over Brielle's tiny form. "You really are different, aren't you? One of a kind."

"I'm glad she's one of a kind." called James from up the table, his eyes narrowed very slightly at Brielle. "She's a bloody nightmare, I wouldn't survive with more than one of her running around!"

"Potter, don't be mean!" scolded Lily, her eyebrows furrowing together in annoyance as she turned back to Brielle. "Don't listen to him, sweetie, he's just a bully."

Brielle felt tears sting at her eyes and her face tinted slightly pink. She chewed on her bottom lip, diverting her gaze up for a second, though it did her no use. A small tear fell down her face, and the moment it did, Alice had her arms wrapped around Brielle's small shoulders, pulling her into her chest.

"Potter!" hissed Marlene, her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Look what you've done!"

"She deserves it." scoffed Sirius. "She's said worse to us."

"She's eleven and you're being nothing but horrible bullies to her." stated Lily, shaking her head in disbelief. "I expected better from you than this."

"What's the problem here?" asked Professor Flitwick, approaching the girls with a concerned look on his small face.

"It's nothing, Professor." sniffed Brielle, fruitlessly wiping away several of the tears on her cheeks. "I'm just being silly."

"She's not being silly!" exclaimed Marlene, an annoyed look on her face. "Those Marauders are being horrible to her!"

"Boys, is this true?" squeaked Flitwick, his hands on his hips as his eyes settled on The Marauders, who looked somewhat like deer caught in the headlights.

"Well- I, urm- we-" stuttered James, his eyes wide.

"Detention!" squeaked Flitwick in annoyance. "All four of you in my room tonight. I expected better from you all."

As he walked away, Peter groaned, "We had better plans for our first detention of the year, and a stupid first year has ruined it."

"Stupid?" repeated Brielle, and Remus noticed immediately that something was missing from her appearance.

"Weren't you just crying?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Weren't you just getting told off for supposedly making me cry? Because I can make that happen again without a problem, Marauders; don't doubt me." replied Brielle, and she ignored the stunned looks on the girls' faces as she wiped the remains of the tears from her face. "Now if you'll excuse me, I want to actually spend this time learning something. So look away and bother someone else."

"That was-" James began, speechless at Brielle's act.

"Terrifying." finished Peter, his eyes a little wide. "How did she make herself cry like that?"

"And how did she know she'd get us detention by doing it?" questioned Remus, his eyes narrowed as he glanced over Brielle's form, watching her laugh and smile as though nothing had happened just moments before.

"I don't know, but Pete's right, she _is_ terrifying." stated Sirius simply.

And though all of The Marauders agreed that Brielle was indeed a terrifying person, they couldn't agree on one thing: what was more scary, the fact that she was such a good actress, or the fact that she'd managed to get them their first detention of the year with ease. Either way, she wasn't someone they wanted to mess with much more than they already were.

* * *

The news of Brielle's act spread across the school quickly, and she was all many people talked about for a week. Several people had heard twisted versions of the story and had resorted to calling The Marauders horrible bullies - how could they make a sweet little first year cry? On the other hand, several people had heard the truth and agreed that there was something rather scary about Brielle, even if she was only a tiny first year.

Either way, The Marauders didn't like it. They hadn't pulled a prank since they'd got back, they were being talked about for all the wrong reasons (meaning that they themselves hadn't started the rumours going around about themselves to portray the four of them in a positive light), their teachers weren't letting them get away with as much as last year and they wanted nothing more than to go back and redo the week all over again.

"This week as been awful." groaned James as he flopped onto his bad that Friday night, prepared to sleep throughout the whole weekend if he had to.

"I don't understand how." said Sirius, shaking his head as he changed quickly into his pyjamas. "It's normally so fun."

"What's changed this year?" Peter asked, crawling under the covers.

"She has." stated Remus.

"She? What she?" James asked.

"Delacour." clarified Sirius, who'd picked up on what Remus was suggesting.

"Oh," said James a little grimly. "_that _'she'."

"Yeah, that she." nodded Remus. "She's made this week nothing less than a nightmare. People are starting to doubt us. We need to prove them that she's nothing compared to us."

"We'll do it when she least expects it." decided Sirius. "And we'll show her what it's like to have a shit week at the same time."

"Shut up." groaned Peter. "I need to sleep this week off."

"Hear, hear." muttered James, rolling over in his bed.

The Marauders drifted to sleep, glad to be in bed as they subconsciously acknowledged how scary it was that a first year they'd never met before had the power to ruin their week just because she felt like it.

**i know that it's a total mary sue thing to have the o/c be part veela, but bare with me - it's going to become very important later on, and not because of her looks. at the moment I'm updating daily, but it might eventually become every few days or so. thanks for the reviews and all of the follows/favourites so far c:**


	6. Ways Seven, Eight & Nine

_**Way Seven; Make Them Feel Threatened By Your Presence  
&amp; Way Eight; Get James Potter Sent A Howler  
&amp; Way Nine; Let Them See Your Face After They Prank You**_

The first ten days of being back at school flew past. The Marauders felt somewhat as though the summer hadn't happened because being in school again was already so natural to them again that they couldn't remember not being there. However, one thing which had changed was Brielle Delacour.

She was everywhere. They didn't know how nor why, but she just was. And they couldn't get rid of her.

"Long day, huh?" mused Brielle one day after lessons, sitting with The Marauders in the Common Room.

"Why are you here, Delacour?" Sirius had asked.

"Just to say hello." Brielle shrugged.

"Well say hello and leave, then." replied James a little sharply.

"That's not very nice, baby James." mocked Brielle, pouting at James like a puppy. "Maybe you should learn some manners."

And she did that on a daily basis. Every time she'd speak to The Marauders, they'd try to insult and or sass her, and yet she wouldn't bat an eyelid as she responded with an insult or sassy remark ten times better than the one they'd had in the first place. She could respond to anything they said in a heartbeat and they didn't understand how it was possible.

But still they tried to out-sass her. And so that Friday, having known her for three weeks, they decided to play her own games against her, figuring that she only beat them with her sass and little remarks because she was the one who planned the conversation, not them.

"Evening, Delacour." said James, nodding as he took the seat opposite Brielle at the table she was sitting on with two fellow first years.

"Marauders." squeaked the girl, her eyes widening as they landed on the four boys.

"Lovely." smiled Brielle sarcastically, looking up from her Charms homework. "Marauders."

"Delacour, we thought we'd come and see you for a change." grinned Sirius, leaning on the back of James' seat.

"A nice change from you finding us every evening." remarked Remus.

"Thought you were too lazy to move from your seats by the fire to do anything, much less find me." stated Brielle. "You continue to surprise me."

"And you doing homework is a surprise to us too." commented Sirius, picking up the parchment Brielle's friend had been writing on. "Thought people like you wouldn't do homework."

"Define 'people like me'." challenged Brielle, folding her arms over her chest.

"Oh, you know, people who think that they're all that, idiots, weirdos, you get the jist." replied James coolly.

"Congratulations on describing your own group, Potter." smiled Brielle.

"Funny. I had you and your friends pictured saying that, though." replied James, sending Brielle a sarcastic smile.

"Well it's debatable just who are the vain, idiotic weirdos here. Pettigrew!" said Brielle, and Peter turned his head to her immediately. "What's the spell used to summon something?"

"What?" asked Peter, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"That's fourth year stuff at least." said Sirius.

"And yet I know it and you don't. Shows who the idiots really are, doesn't it?" asked Brielle, and she had a coy smile on her face which suggested that she thought herself to be above The Marauders.

It didn't matter that she was tiny, a year younger than them and had the appearance of someone particularly sweet and innocent. Brielle Delacour had a condescending nature surrounding her and something about it terrified The Marauders in a way they'd never be able to explain.

* * *

Somewhat exhausted from ranting about Brielle Delacour all night, The Marauders trudged down to the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning, muttering to each other about how annoying she was. They couldn't get over what she was like - Merlin had they been unfortunate in meeting her.

"Potter!" called Fabian Prewett as The Marauders entered the hall, a gleeful smile on his face.

"What?" called James tiredly, walking up to where Fabian sat at the Gryffindor Table.

"We have something for you." grinned Gideon Prewett, his brown eyes twinkling with joy.

"I think you'll like it." said Fabian.

"Or maybe you won't." said Gideon.

"But we certainly will." they grinned together.

"What have you got to give to me?" asked James, raising his eyebrows as he outstretched his hand expectantly.

"Are you sure you want it?" mused Fabian.

"Yes." said James.

"Are you really sure?" asked Gideon.

"Really really sure?" chimed Fabian.

"Just give it to me." commanded James, wiggling his fingers.

"As you wish." they grinned together, and from behind his back, Fabian pulled out a steaming red letter, placing it in the palm of James' hand.

"Shit." muttered Sirius, his eyes widening as they landed on the envelope. "Mate, why have you got a howler?"

"I don't know." said James, shaking his head. "Bloody hell, Remus, get rid of it for me!"

"I can't!" said Remus, his face a little pale. "You'll have to-"

Remus was cut off by the sound of Dorea Potter's voice exploding from the envelope as it jumped out of James' hand, floating in front of him.

"James Charlus Potter!" she - or it - shouted, the voice echoing through the hall and bringing everyone's attention to The Marauders. "How dare you bully younger students just to boost your little ego? Your father and I expected you to be in trouble for a few pranks, but when I'm sent a letter from a victim of your bullying saying how you've ruined her first few days at Hogwarts, I'm less than impressed! I'm disgusted in your behaviour and we will be talking to you about this seriously at Christmas! You better not put another toe out of line or I'll make the contents of this howler look like a sweet little 'I hope your first few days back at school were good' letter!"

James was exceptionally pale in the face as he watched the howler blow a raspberry at him, tearing itself up into pieces which fell to the floor as he stood in place, rooted to the spot. His eyes were wide beneath his glasses and his ears were still ringing from his mother's voice.

"Shit." muttered Sirius, his eye wide. "Who told your mum you're a bully?"

"That's ridiculous, nobody would do that, it had to have been a joke." said Peter, though his face was red and he looked somewhat traumatised as he half-hid behind Sirius.

"I know somebody who'd do it." stated Remus darkly, glancing up the table to where Brielle was laughing with her friends, glancing up at The Marauders with a proud grin flashing across her face.

"We need to get her back." muttered James, his eyes focused on Brielle. "She has too much power, being able to send my mother a letter to get her to send me a howler."

And in all honesty, the thought alone of Brielle's power was enough to chill The Marauders to the bone.

* * *

"Are we ready?" asked James, hiding around the corner.

"We're ready." nodded Remus, who was further up the corridor.

The Marauders had spent the day planning their revenge on Brielle. They had two things to prove - the first being that they weren't afraid of her. They weren't afraid of the power that they had and they weren't afraid of the fact that she was so strong willed. She was just another first year.

The second thing that they had to prove was that they were the ones with the power in the school. Not the Prewett Twins, not the Slytherins, not Brielle - them. The Marauders. People were beginning to doubt that as Brielle was brought up more and more in conversation and that had to stop. They were going to put her back into her place once and for all, and they were going to do that the best way they knew how to - with a prank.

"-can't believe that he tried to give me a detention for not wearing school uniform." The Marauders heard Brielle's voice drift around the corner of the corridor. "I mean, what an idiot. It's the weekend, I can wear whatever I-"

Brielle cut herself off as she turned the corner with four of her friends by her side her eyes widening as they landed on the four Marauders positioned with what looked to be balloons in their hands. She made a move to turn around, however she had no time as Sirius yelled, "Bombs away!" and chaos ensued.

James and Sirius threw balloons full to the brim of a disgusting slime at Brielle and her friends, grinning as they heard their shouts of anger echo through the corridor. It was thick and sure to dye their skin and clothes an awful shade of purple until they scrubbed themselves so hard that three layers of their skin came off. Peter and Remus, standing a little further back, were pelting Brielle and her friends with flour-filled balloons and flinging feather balloons at them, ensuring that they'd have grime stuck into the slime covering them for hours, if not days.

The corridor was a mess, and for a whole minute it was impossible to see Brielle and her friends through the cloud of flour, feathers and slime surrounding them. However, as the last balloons were thrown and the mess began to settle down, they were revealed. The Marauders laughed at first, gleeful as they took in the sight of Brielle and her friends covered from head to toe in purple slime, flour and feathers, they soon found themselves terrified to the core as their eyes landed on Brielle's face, realising that pissing her off was not a good idea at all.


	7. Ways Ten & Eleven

**Way Ten; Proceed To Threaten Them After They Prank You  
&amp; Way Eleven; Make Their Prank Backfire**

The Marauders were frozen in place as Brielle's face contorted in pure fury. Whether it was a trick of their eyes, they didn't know, but they could have sworn that they saw her nose almost stick out a little more and something in her back move. However, it didn't matter what they did and didn't think they'd seen - either way, Brielle was terrifying.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, and for someone so tiny, her voice was huge. It was almost unnatural.

"We think- er, we think that-" Remus began to say, but his voice fell flat and he flinched horribly when Brielle let out a screeching noise in frustration.

"You weren't thinking at all when you did whatever you call this!" Brielle said, motioning to herself and her friends.

"We call it a prank, Delacour, never heard of them?" mused James, shaking his head in a mocking display of disappointment.

"Shut your fat gob, Potter!" screeched Brielle, and James fell silent immediately. "I get that you dislike me - and don't worry, that feeling is returned tenfold - but what did my friends ever do to you?"

"Erm, breathe?" suggested Sirius.

"You're not going to be breathing much longer if you don't stop being idiots!" announced Brielle, her eyes narrowed in anger. Peter shook slightly as her eyes swept over him. "I was right to send your mother that howler because you are a bully, the lot of you are bullies!" Brielle screeched at James, her temper flaring.

"Bully's a strong word." stated James.

"Then you need to rethink just what kind of life you want to have when you perfectly fit the definition of it!" said Brielle. "I don't care how I do it, but I swear I'll turn this prank back on you."

"Impossible." scoffed Remus. "This prank was well thought out, it can't be reversed by anyone but us."

"You don't need anything other than two brain cells to rub together in order to think like you idiots! Thinking of how to turn this prank back on you is the least of my problems!" Brielle shouted at them. "Now either apologise or suffer."

"As if." laughed James. "We don't apologise."

"Fine." said Brielle, folding her arms over her chest. "But be warned, Marauders, I will make your lives hell for this."

"I already feel like I'm in hell everyday I spend with you." commented Sirius.

"Charming." snarled Brielle. "Now get out of my way before I make you."

"How are you going to make us move?" asked James, raising his eyebrows at Brielle, a smirk playing on his lips. "Poor baby Brielle's just not tough enough to do anything to us."

Brielle glanced back at her friends and nodded; the small group ran off, leaving Brielle in the corridor with The Marauders to get up to the Common Room past them. She reached her slime covered arms out, pushing past each of The Marauders and making sure to rub off some of the muck on them as she passed. They saw her glance back and scowl as she left the corridor, her footsteps echoing as she stomped away.

"Did anyone else feel her hands burn them?" Peter asked as he tried to wipe the purple slime off of his top.

"Yeah." nodded James. "It felt like she was on fire almost."

"If we're in hell with her, she's the devil." commented Remus.

"Hear, hear." mused Peter, somewhat terrified of the first year girl who was taking them to hell and back.

* * *

"Potter,"

"Black,"

"Lupin,"

"Pettigrew." listed Fabian and Gideon with causal nods as the took a seat each in front of The Marauders at dinner that night.

"Prewetts." nodded James. "What are you two doing here?"

"Just thought we'd congratulate you on your prank for the firsties. Never thought you'd prank Delacour, though - rumour has it you're scared of her." said Fabian.

"Yeah, apparently you all but shit yourselves whenever she walks into the room." added Gideon.

"We don't shit ourselves at a first year walking into the room." stated Sirius, shoving steak into his mouth. "Though what you two felt when we walked into the room last year is another matter."

"We felt surrounded by idiots." replied Gideon, smirking very slightly as he noticed Peter's hair beginning to turn a little purple.

"That wasn't very nice." mused James. "Did you just come over to insult us?"

"No, we came over to tell you something." said Fabian, turning to Gideon as he noticed that James' cheeks were taking on a purple flush. "What was it, Gideon?"

"Was it that thing with the Ravenclaw?" asked Gideon, feigning confusion as Sirius' hands turned purple as he held his cutlery.

"Nah, I think it might have been the thing with the Slytherins. You know, _those _Slytherins." replied Fabian, Remus' hair turning purple.

"Not _those_ Slytherins, surely." replied Fabian; James' robes were beginning to change colour.

"Yeah, what other Slytherins would it be?" asked Gideon, rolling his eyes.

"I thought we weren't going to tell them that." said Fabian.

Gideon shrugged, "Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter if we do."

"Doesn't it?" asked Fabian.

"Nah." said Gideon. "I mean-"

"What are you trying to tell us about a Slytherin?" interrupted Sirius impatiently.

Fabian and Gideon turned back to face The Marauders with smirks on their faces, knowing that their plan had worked. They knew more complex magic than The Marauders did, being two years older, and they'd found a spell to coat The Marauders with the substances of their own prank as Brielle washed them off of herself. It was genius.

"Maybe it wasn't a Slytherin." said Gideon, frowning in confusion. "But then who could it have been?"

"Maybe a Gryffindor. The Gryffindor who just pranked The Marauders with our help." said Fabian fairly.

"What?!" demanded James his eyes widening beneath his glasses as he turned to look at his fellow Marauders.

They all screeched with annoyance when they realised that they were all bright purple. Not particularly sticky - their skin and clothes has just been dyed from the countering effects of the spell rather than anything else. Still, they were completely purple from head to toe and they looked absolutely ridiculous. They were less than impressed.

"You pranked us with Delacour?" demanded Remus, his eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"That's what you get for being little cocky idiots to us last year." shrugged the Prewetts together innocently. "Have fun getting rid of the purple."

"We have the antidote, idiots!" James called after them as they walked away.

"Antidote?" repeated Peter.

"Yeah, antidote. Remus made one." stated James.

"Did I?" asked Remus, raising his eyebrows. "James, there was no need to make any - we thought that there was no way this would happen."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake." muttered Sirius bitterly. "They planned this out. Delacour and the Prewetts. They knew we'd be stuck like this."

"But I have Quidditch try-outs tomorrow! I'll be laughed off the pitch looking like this!" exclaimed James, his eye wide in terror at the thought of showing the results of their backfired prank to the Quidditch Team. "This is ridiculous. How could they have possibly known we'd be stuck like this?"

None of them knew the answer, but they knew that with each passing day, Brielle Delacour was becoming more and more terrifying with her extensive knowledge of certain things, her anger and now her pranking abilities when paired with the Prewett Twins, and they knew that they couldn't let their fear of her continue much longer.


	8. Ways Twelve & Thirteen

**Way Twelve: Be A 'Cheerleader' At Their Quidditch Tryouts  
&amp; Way Thirteen: Show Signs of Being A Decent Human Being**

"What the fuck is she doing?" asked James, his eyes wide in disbelief as he looked up to the stands in the Quidditch Pitch.

"Oh, bloody hell." groaned Sirius, shaking his head as his eyes landed on Brielle.

Brielle was moving along the stands in the pitch, pompoms in her hands. She wore a bright smile on her face as she approached where Remus and Peter were sitting, taking the seat beside them. She had her eyes focused on James and Sirius, and it almost worried them what she was planning to do.

"Doesn't she look wonderful?" mused Fabian, approaching James and Sirius with his broom in his hand.

"Not as wonderful as our dear purple Marauders." chimed Gideon, looking James and Sirius up and down.

"Oh, shut up." scowled Sirius.

"Don't know how the fuck she managed to turn it back on us." muttered James, his eyes narrowing further at the completely normal coloured Brielle.

"I wonder how she managed it?" Gideon asked Fabian, a smirk on his face.

"The world may never know." sighed Fabian, shaking his head.

James narrowed his eyes at Fabian and Gideon, saying simply, "Bastards."

"Only for our favourite little pranking rivals." they grinned cheekily.

"You'd seriously help her over us?" asked Sirius, cocking an eyebrow.

Fabian shrugged, "We like her. She's cute."

"She's the she-devil." stated James seriously.

"Well she matches perfectly with you four then." grinned Gideon.

"What's she even doing here?" asked Sirius.

"She wanted to support you at your first Quidditch try-outs." stated Fabian, though there was a glint in his eyes which James and Sirius didn't like. "Her actions will explain it all in due time."

"Potter, catch!" called Frank Longbottom from the other side of the pitch, tossing him a quaffle. James, who was distracted by the conversation, didn't quite catch the ball in time and it slipped between his fingers, falling to the ground.

"James Potter dropped the ball, isn't he just a little fool?" called Brielle's voice from the stands.

James looked up at her and saw her wiggling her pompoms, doing a ridiculous little dance as she cheered. She was grinning as people all around the pitch began to laugh with her little chants.

"What's she doing?" asked Sirius, his eyes narrowing.

"She's cheering for you." stated Fabian, a smirk playing on his lips. "No need to be confused."

"Sirius Black is so confused, for an idiot he's a muse." cheered Brielle, and several more people laughed.

"Is she planning these cheers out in advance?!" demanded James, his eyes widening slightly. "She's bloody quick!"

"James Potter called me quick, looks like he can suck my-"

"That's not something a first year should be saying!" Remus' shout drowned out Brielle's words, the crowds laughing.

"I'm twelve in three weeks, the same age as you and your stupid clique!" cheered Brielle, a grin on her face. "Are these tryouts ever going to start? I have Marauders to cheer for!"

"Is she going to do that the whole course of the tryouts?" asked James, his eyes wide.

"Yeah." nodded Fabian, grinning. "Have fun."

Never in their lives before had James and Sirius been terrified at the concept of having their own personal cheerleader, but when it involved Brielle Delacour, there appeared to be a first time for everything these days.

* * *

James and Sirius had fought valiantly through the day, doing every task they were set in order to earn a place on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. With both of them trying out as the two needed Chasers, they worked together well - flying quickly, passing the ball accurately and coming together as a team with the already confirmed seventh year Chaser from last year. They did exceptionally well, even with Brielle's cheering.

As the tryouts went on, more and more people came down to the pitch to watch - though it wasn't entirely for the Qudditch. News of Brielle's cheers had spread and many people, knowing the growing rivalry between her and The Marauders, wanted to watch what was happening for their own entertainment, and not one person was disappointed. Brielle's cheers remained quick-witted and funny, even commenting on several other people throughout the day, and by the end she was being requested to be the official Gryffindor cheerleader - though her cheers had to be aimed at the members of the other team. James and Sirius weren't sure whether she'd accepted the position or not; all they cared about was whether they were on the team or not.

"Right," called Jordan Dornan (the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain) in the Gryffindor Common Room later that night, holding a piece of parchment in his hands. "I've been deciding on who the new members of the team should be, and I've made my decision. The Beaters, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, are the same, as is the Keeper, Calvin Knight, and the Seeker, me. Our new Chasers are Gordon Brown, the same as last year, James Potter and Sirius Black. Thanks to everyone who tried out!"

James and Sirius cheered loudly along with many people in the Common Room; their skill had been undeniable and they really were amazing plays. They deserved their places on the team and everyone, including those who'd missed out on getting into the team, celebrated that graciously.

"Oh, and as well, can Brielle Delacour find me tomorrow?" called Jordan over the cheers as several older students announced that they needed to have a party to celebrate and that they were going to get some food. "I want her as a cheerleader!"

"Well done, James." grinned Peter. "You too, Sirius."

"The other teams have no chance with us against them." grinned James confidently.

"No, they don't." agreed the last person The Marauders expected to: Brielle. She had a light smile on her cute face, approaching The Marauders.

"What do you want, Delacour?" asked Sirius, cocking an eyebrow. His words weren't so harsh - he was much too happy to be annoyed with Brielle that night.

"I came to congratulate you both on making it onto the team. Regardless of my frankly amazing cheering, you were both brilliant fliers and you deserve it." Brielle smiled, and she was sincere in her words.

The Marauders were gobsmacked. For a moment, they didn't know what to say.

"Er- thanks, Delacour." nodded James finally, his eyes a little wide beneath his glasses.

"It's fine." smiled Brielle. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find Fabian and Gideon to get the potion to reverse your purple skin as a congratulations. I'm not just a horrible human being, you know."

She walked away very simply, her dark hair flowing behind her. In shock, The Marauders watched her leave.

"Did she really just-"

"Show signs of being a decent human being?" Remus cut Peter off, eyes wide. "Yeah."

"And?" Peter asked.

"And it's fucking horrifying." stated James, shaking his head.

"Hear, hear." agreed Sirius.

And that was the first time The Marauders were scared of someone not because they were a horrible human being, but instead because they were being _nice._


End file.
